Helping College Men Transcend the 'Boy Problem'

This afternoon, professionals from the CSU Channel Islands Division of Student Affairs met to discuss a recent article from the ACUI (Association of College Unions International) Bulletin addressing the issue of the low percentage rate of male college students across the nation.  This article, in its entirety can be located online at:  ttp://www.acui.org/publications/bulletin/article.aspx?issue=22642&id=12587

This article discussed a number of issues surrounding this topic including age differences of entering freshman (men tend to be older), gender socialization, pressure to conform, effective interventions, and role modeling.

I was particularly encouraged by the statement noting "older men who modeled well-rounded concepts of masculinity" to "have significant effect on college men." This point validates the importance each person can make in another's life.  Two weeks ago, CI President Rush noted he came to CI because he wanted to "change the world."  I truly believe the work we do in Student Affairs does make a difference in the lives of our students...and can change the world.  It is though these individual discussions where we help our students to make meaning of their lives and their experiences.  We empower them, we help them to apply their curricular knowledge and co-curricular experiences, we challenge them to see differing perspectives, we help them to see there may be more than one correct answer, and we prepare them to be productive and contributing citizens of society.  When we have these conversations with an open heart and a willingness to learn, the relationship becomes symbiotic and we too open ourselves up for personal growth.  

Many questions arose from our conversation this afternoon.  What programs and services do our male students need to assist with retention?  How do we recruit male students and is it effective? Why do students leave CI?  Why do students stay at CI?  What needs do male students have which we are not meeting, but can?  If males are not entering college, where are they going? How is our K-12 system helping to prepare our male students for higher education?

For those who have read the article or for those who were present at today's discussion, please post your thoughts and reactions to this article. It is through this online format, I am hopeful additional learning, growth and "a-ha moments" can occur.